Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office.
EENY-110
Great Purple Hairstreak; Great Blue Hairstreak, Atlides halesus (Cramer) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)1
Donald W. Hall and Jerry F. Butler2
Introduction spots (one on the front and two on the hind wings). The underside of the abdomen is bright red. The great purple hairstreak is one of our most beautiful southern butterflies. Although it is most commonly known as the great purple hairstreak, it has no purple on it. The brilliant iridescent scales on the upper surface of the wings from which it gets its name are blue not purple. Distribution
The great purple hairstreak is found throughout the southern United States where its host plant is found. It extends farther north along the eastern coast to New York. In the West, its southern distribution extends into Mexico. Description Figure 1. Adult great purple hairstreak, Atlides halesus The wingspread of the adult is 14 to 24 mm. The (Cramer) . Credits: Jerry F. Butler, University of Florida upper sides of the wings are iridescent blue with black borders. Each hind wing has two black tails Mature larvae are green with a dense covering of (hairstreaks). The undersides of the wings are brown short, fine light orange hairs. with a series of white and yellow spots on the margin of the hind wings at the bases of the tails. The Pupae are dark brown mottled with black. undersides of the wings have three basal, bright red
1. This document is EENY-110, one of a series of Featured Creatures from the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Published: August 1999. This document is also available on Featured Creatures Website at http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu. Please visit the EDIS Website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Additional information on these organisms, including many color photographs, is available at the Entomology and Nematology Department website at http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/. 2. Donald W. Hall, professor and Jerry F. Butler, professor, Entomology and Nematology Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin. For information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension Service office. Florida Cooperative Extension Service/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences/University of Florida/Christine Taylor Waddill, Dean. Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office.
Great Purple Hairstreak; Great Blue Hairstreak, Atlides halesus (Cramer) (Insecta:.... 2
of the tree, under bark, or may wander onto adjacent buildings for pupation. Frequently, pupae are parasitized by parasitoid wasp larvae or by tachinid fly larvae, and adult wasps or flies emerge from the pupal case instead of the butterfly.
Figure 2. Adult great purple hairstreak, Atlides halesus (Cramer); dorsal view (left), ventral view (right). Credits: James Castner, University of Florida
Figure 4. Oak mistletoe, Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M.C. Johnst. (=serotinum [Raf.] M.C. Johnst.) in oak tree. Credits: Donald W. Hall, University of Florida
Selected References
Gerberg, E.J. and R.H. Arnett. 1989. Florida Butterflies. National Science Publications, Inc. Baltimore, MD.
Figure 3. Larva of the great purple hairstreak, Atlides Opler, P.A. and G.O. Krizek. 1984. Butterflies halesus (Cramer), on mistletoe. Credits: Jerry F. Butler, East of the Great Plains. The Johns Hopkins University of Florida University Press. Baltimore, MD. Life Cycle Opler, P.A. and V. Malikul. 1998. Eastern Butterflies. Peterson Field Guide Series. Houghton There are many flights from March to November Mifflin Company. New York. in the northern part of the range and year round in Florida and south Texas. Males perch on treetops Scott, J.A. 1986. The Butterflies of North during the afternoon to await the arrival of females America. Stanford University Press. Stanford, CA. for mating. As with the other hairstreak butterflies, perching adults move their hind wings up and down. The tails on the hind wings with their associated spots resemble a head. The movement of the tails is believed to attract a potential predator's attention to that part of the wings which then is torn away allowing the butterfly to escape.
Larvae feed only on plants of the parasitic mistletoe genus Phoradendron (Viscaceae [=Loranthaceae]). When full-grown, larvae migrate from the mistletoe and pupate in crevices at the base